Cotton-gatherer.



W. A. PATTERSON. COTTON GATHBRER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 28, 1910.

999,395, Patented Aug. 1,1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

W. A. PATTERSON.

COTTON GATHERER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 29A 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2A COTTONGATHERER.

`Spcciication of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 1, 1911.

Application and Ju1y 2s, 1910. ser'ia1 No. 574,310.v

To all whom it may 'cof/wem.'

Be itknown that I, `WARREN A. PATTER- soN, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful'lmprovement in Cotton-Gatherers,.of which thevfollowing is a full, clear, andy exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in whichn Figure 1 is a plan View of my improved cotton gatherer. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the gathering machine. Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a cross section taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2. Fig-5 is a plan view of a vehicle provided with a\suction-producing apjparatus and with a series of suction tu es to which my improved gathering devices are connected.

My invention relates to a machine or apparatus for gathering cotton, the object of my invention being to provide a simple apparatus which is carried upon the arm of the operator and which cuts the bolls from the stalks, said bolls being drawn into and through the gathering apparatus by vsuction produced by suitable mechanism arranged on a vehicle which traverses the cotton field.

1n the majority of cotton gatherers heretofore devi-.sed and utilizing suction the cotton has been drawn from the boll, but in my improved gathering apparatus, it is the intention to` gather the entire boll, the cotton being separated from the shell by suitable machinery.

'.lo the above purposes, my invention conlsists in certain novel features and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings, 1 designates an elongated tu- 1nular housin one end of which is connected to a exi le tube 2; rllhe opposite lend.

ingl 6. Journaled for rotation in the side walls of the tube 1 at the center of the opening 5 is a shaft 7, and Imounted thereon within the housingv is a fan 8. Carried by the ends of the shaft 7, which project beyond the sides of the tube 1, are eccentric disks 9, and encircling said disks are straps 10. Connected to the straps 10 are the rear ends` of rods 11, which extend along the sides of the tube 1, and the forward ends of said rods are connected to a transversely disposed rod 12, to which is connected a plate 13, which latter is arranged to slide forward and backward inV suitable guides immediately over the opening 3. The edge o f this plate 13, which moves across the opening 3, is sharpened to form a knife edge which is utilized in cutting the bolls from the stalks.

14 designates a plate which lis arranged to` slide forward and backward over the opening 3, and the sides of said plate 14 are provided with bearings 15, through which the rods 11 are mounted to operate. The plate 14 occupies and reciprocates in a plane immediately above the plane occupied by the reciprocating knife 13, and thus there is no interference of the two parts when the plate moves forward to close the opening 3. Connected to the plate 14 is a rearwardly extending rod 16 which s mounted to slide through a bearing 17 formed on the shaft of the tube 1, and the rear end of this rod 16 is provided with a handle 18.

19 designates a retractile coil spring which is located on the rod 16 between the bearing 17 and the handle 18, said spring normally tending to maintain the plate 14 in position over the opening 3.

vFormed in the top of the tube 1, below the handle 18, is an opening 19, and arranged to slide in suitable bearings on top of the tube is a plate 2O which is connected to and moves with the handle 13 and rod 16. l/Vhen the plate 14 is in its normal position over the opening 3, the plate `2() is moved forward to such a position as to expose the opening 19E, and when the parts are so positioned, air will be drawn into the tube 1 through said opening 19B.

21 designates bearings for the central portions of the rode 11, said bearings being formed on or xed to the sides of the tube l.

22 designates a loop which is fined to and extends upwardfrom the tube 1 between 'the heueing 6 and handle '18, and when the apparatus is in use, the arm of the operator passes through this loop 22. y The ends of a strap 23, shown, are detachably connected to pins 24 on the rear end of the tube 1, which strap passes over t-he shoulder of the operator, thus supporting the greater portion of the weight of the gathering apparatus.

It is the intention to use 'my improved cotton gatherer in connection with a vehicle adapted to traverse the., cott`on field, and which vehicle is equipped with a suitable suction-producing apparatus having a series of tubes vand to which tubes the flexible tubes 2 are connected. v

Referring to Fig. '5, 25 designates the body or bed of the vehicle, and located thereon is a suction fan 26 operated by a motor 27, preferably in the form of an internal combustion engine, and located adjacent said fan and connected thereto b a tube 28 is a vacuum Abox 29. Leadin rom this vacuum box is a main suction tu e 30, from whichA lead branch suction tubes 31,y and connected to said branch tubes are 'flexible tubes 2, carrying at their outer'ends the tubular gathering devices hereinbefore described. p When my improved apparatus is in operation,'the fan 26 creates a partial vacuum in the vacuum box 29, ,and consequently' creates suction through the tubes 30 and 31. The operators carrying the tubes 1 traverse the cotton field at the sides and to the rear of the vehicle. Normally, the plate 14 covers the opening 3, and the opening I9 is` open to permit air to be drawn' into the tube 1 by the suction produced in the tubes 30 and 31. The suction of airthroughsthe tube 1 imparts rearward motion to the fan 8, and the eccentric disks 9 operating in the straps l0 impart reciprocating motion to the connecting rods 11, and -this motion is `imparted to theplate 13 provided with the knife edge.

To gather a cotton boll, the o erator manually engages the handle 18 an pulls the same rearward, which movement draws the plate 14 rearward, thus uncovering the o ening 3 and simultaneously-sliding the p ate 20 over the opening 19a. The suction of air now enters the tube 1 through the opening l3, and the gatherer is manipulated so that the boll of cotton is drawn into the A opening 3. With the next movement of the plate 13 across said opening 3', the bollJ will be cut from the stem, and said boll willbe drawn through the tube` 1, from thence td through the corthr'ou h the tube 30 intovthe vacuum box 29, an will." drop lfrom said vacuum boXinto a suitable-receptacle. The deilector 4, in front of the opening 3, `serves as a support for the boll of cotton when the same is drawn into the tube and during the time .no operation other than the located immediately the knife is cutting the boll from the stem. This deflector plate is purposely curved forward so as to force thestem carrying the boll of' cotton against thecutting edge of the reciprocating knife. The flexible tube 2 permits the gathering devices to be readily shifted in any direction, and this freedom of movement permits the operator to readily gather a-ll of the ri e bolls on the cotton stalks. By gathering t e' entire boll, that is, the shell andthe cotton liber, I aml able to obtain all of the liber from the boll, and this result can not be obtained where the cotton liber is drawn from the shell b suction, as is the case in a large num er of pneumatic cotton-gathering machines.

It will `be noted that the opening 3 is formed through the top of the tube 1, and by such arrangement dlrt, sand the like, is prevented from being drawn into the tube when the forward end thereof is in a position close to the ground. Any cotton bolls which may lie upon the ground must be lifted a short distance'before they are drawn through the opening into the tube by suction.

It will be noted that the plate 13 having the knife' edge is reciprocated by means of the fan 8 located in the frear end of the tube `1. This fan is drivenor actuated by the natural draft or suction through the tube 1, and thus the knife edge plate -is drivenV without the requirement of a yseparate operating means. such as va motor or a` mechanical driving connection. from the engine on the vehicle. V i

` My improved gatherin apparatus is comparatively simple, can e readily carried and handled by an operator, and requires manipulation ofthe handle 18 to uncover the inlet opening in the tube.

It will be readily understood that minor changes in -the construction and arrangement of the various parts of my device can be made and substituted `for those herein shown L and described without departing from the nature and spirit of my invention.y

I claim:

1. In Aa cotton gathering apparatus the combination with a suction tube, of a tube havin a suction opening formed through one o its wal1s, and a reciprocating knife guided to move across said suction opening ankd operated by the suction through the tu e. i

2. In a cottongathering apparatus, the combination with a suction tube, of a tube connectedto said suction tube, said tube 'havingJ suction opening formed in one of the Wallsthereof, and a reciprocating knife'- edged plate ided 'to move across the opening, which pl ate is operated by the suction through the tube, and a delector within the tube opposite the opening.

.ros

3. The combination With a suction tube, of a tube provided With a suction opening, a reciprocating knife edged plate guided to move across the opening, and means operated by the suction through the tubes for imparting movement to the knife edged plate.

4. In a cotton gathering device, a tube, having an inlet opening formed in one Wall thereof, a deflector Within the tube adjacent the opening, a knife guided to move across` the opening, and a sliding plate for normally closing said opening.

e 5. In a cotton gathering apparatus, the combination with a suction tube, of a tube connected to the suction tube, in Which tube is formed an inlet opening, a knife guided to move across said inletopening, means operated by the suction through the tubes for imparting movement -to the knife, and a sliding plate normally xclosing the inlet opening.

6. rThe combination With a suction tube, of a tube in which is formed apair of inlet openings, a knife guided to move across one`of said, inlet openings, means operated by suction through the tubes for imparting movement to the knife, and means for alternately closing said inlet openings.

7. The combination with a sudtion tube,

ing member guided to move toward the' edge of the knife, and to close said inlet opening.

8. The combination with a suction tube, of a tube in which is formed an inlet opening, a knife guided to move across the opening, means operated by the suction through the tubes for moving the knife, a plate guided to slide on the tube over the knife, and to close the inlet opening, and a handle connected to said plate.

9. In a cotton gathering apparatus, a tube having an opening formed adjacent one end, a delector on the interior of the tube opposite the opening in the top thereof, a cutter on the tube, guided to move across the opening therein, and a yielding member vguided to slide on the tube and to move toward the edge of the cutter.

In testimony whereof l hereunto afix my signature in the'presence of tvvo Witnesses, this 25th day of July, 1910.

Y WARREN Al PATTERSON.

Witnesses:

M. P. SMITH, ALMA GEBHRT. 

